History YMMV / SwordArtOnline

* AmericansHateTingle: After the Alicization arc is animated, its popularity noticeably plummet in East Asia, especially China and Korea, owing to the biased portrayal of the Japanese characters (Specifically, it depicts Koreans as being dependant on Japanese tech, which the latter blocked for inexplicable reason, which isn't the case in reality especially since Korean developers tend to be competitive against the Japanese counterparts since the 2000s). It didn't help that the [[Creator/AiKayano voice actress of Alice Synthesis Thirty]] was, not a year after airing of the animated adaptation of the last part of Alicization arc, caught in a controversy over visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, and having her roles scrubbed from games made in China and Korea along with fewer roles for domestically published anime moving forward.

** The Gleam Eyes, which was the first boss to force Kirito to unleash his [[HiddenBadass secret unique skill]] DualWielding, and even then it reduced Kirito's health to critical.

** [[spoiler: The Irrational Cube was already hinted to be a torturous fight in the Beta as the Irritating Cube, due to it being a Rubix Cube of all things, it ends up becoming ''worse'' in the main game. While it operates just like a rubix cube, it's sides are changed from colors to match to ''sudoku puzzles'', meaning that you not only need to solve the puzzles on each side, but you also need to move them in place like you would a rubix cubes' colors, meaning you could solve a puzzle on one side only to undo it because another side's puzzle isn't solved. Oh, and the door out is locked by it's own series of Sudoku puzzles, that are hard and numerous enough to take a pair of advanced [=NPCs=] ''an hour'' to solve.]]

** Bercouli, the leader of the Integrity Knights and the [[WorldsBestWarrior Underworld's Best Warrior]], [[spoiler: dies [[TakingYouWithMe killing Vecta]] in a CrowningMomentOfAwesome]].

** Kirito amasses quite a harem throughout the series, being a NiceGuy ChickMagnet (though he is an OfficialCouple with Asuna.) Come 2019, some of the more well-known female English cast members(Including Creator/CheramiLeigh, Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos, and Creator/SarahWilliams) would lend their voices to the UpdatedReRelease of the RolePlayingGame AffectionateParody of the harem genre: ''Conception PLUS: Maidens of the Twelve Stars.''

** Suguha in the ''Fairy Dance'' anime adaptation can be either seen as a {{Deconstruction}} of KissingCousins and NotBloodSiblings or a toxic LittleSisterHeroine who repeatedly goes [[BrokenRecord "Kirito-kun"]] or "Onii-chan" in just about every scene she's in and "steals" the role of the heroine from Asuna. There's also the excessive fanservice that comes with her character, such as the repeated close-ups of her [[BoobsOfSteel oversized bust]]. For some, that's an appeal to her character, while for others, it's incredibly annoying pandering to a certain demographic.

** Nobuyuki Sugou[=/=]Oberon the Fairy King, who is in fact the most hated character both in-universe and out, is widely attributed to be the number one reason for the series' decline from decent/average to outright terrible for its hatedom, and even manages to be the only negative point about the series where both fans and haters ''agree unconditionally''. While it's obvious that [[HateSink hating him]] was the IntendedAudienceReaction, his [[CardCarryingVillain over-the top cartoon evilness]], [[DidntThinkThisThrough stupidity]], multiple attempts to manhandle Asuna and [[FlatCharacter general lack of any sort of character]] other than being monstrously evil, resulted in most viewers wanting to see him get off the screen and never come back, instead of wanting to see him get what was coming to him.

** Nobuyuki Sugou, who is infact the most hated character both in-universe and out, is widely attributed to be the number one reason for the series' decline from decent/average to outright terrible for its hatedom, and even manages to be the only negative point about the series where both fans and haters ''agree unconditionally''. While it's obvious that [[HateSink hating him]] was the IntendedAudienceReaction, his [[CardCarryingVillain over-the top cartoon evilness]], [[DidntThinkThisThrough stupidity]], multiple attempts to manhandle Asuna and [[FlatCharacter general lack of any sort of character]] other than being monstrously evil, resulted in most viewers wanting to see him get off the screen and never come back, instead of wanting to see him get what was coming to him.

** Due to the ShipTease they get in the War of Underworld, [[spoiler: and with him later proposing to her in ''Moon Cradle'', the pairing of [[SecondLove Tiese/Renly]]]] has been involved in these. While it has a good deal of supporters, believing the two make a good match and feeling that [[spoiler: Tiese deserves to move on and be happy, there are certain fans who are vehement in their support of [[SenpaiKohai Eugeo/Tiese]], in spite of [[TheLoseLenore Eugeo's death]] and the implications that, while he cared for her, [[AllLoveIsUnrequited he didn't feel the same way she did.]]]]

* AmericansHateTingle: After the Alicization arc is animated, its popularity noticeably plummet in East Asia, especially China and Korea, owing to the biased portrayal of the Japanese characters (Specifically, it depicts Koreans as being dependant on the blocked by Japanese tech, which isn't the case in reality especially as Koreans often discourage imports of Japanese entertainment products, especially videogames, since the 90s and 2000s). It didn't help that the [[Creator/AiKayano voice actress of Alice Synthesis Thirty]] was, not a year after airing of the animated adaptation of the last part of Alicization arc, caught in a controversy over visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, and having her roles scrubbed from games made in China and Korea along with fewer roles for domestically published anime moving forward.

* AmericansHateTingle: After the Alicization arc is animated, its popularity noticeably plummet in East Asia, especially China and Korea, owing to the biased portrayal of the Japanese characters (Specifically, it depicts Koreans as being dependant on the blocked by Japanese tech, which isn't the case in reality). It didn't help that the [[Creator/AiKayano voice actress of Alice Synthesis Thirty]] was, not a year after airing of the animated adaptation of the last part of Alicization arc, caught in a controversy over visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, and having her roles scrubbed from games made in China and Korea along with fewer roles for domestically published anime moving forward.

** Rosalia an EvilRedhead with PeekABangs.

* AmericansHateTingle: After the Alicization arc is animated, its popularity noticeably plummet in East Asia, especially China and Korea, owing to the biased portrayal of the Japanese characters (Specifically, it depicts Koreans as being dependant on the blocked by Japanese tech, which isn't the case in reality). It didn't help that the [[UsefulNotes/AiKayano voice actress of Alice Synthesis Thirty]] was, not a year after airing of the animated adaptation of the last part of Alicization arc, caught in a controversy over visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, and having her roles scrubbed from games made in China and Korea along with fewer roles for domestically published anime moving forward.

** [[BigGood Cardinal]] is the [[GodInHumanForm physical manifestation of the Cardinal sub-processor]], that managed to [[EnemyWithout split off from]] [[Characters/SwordArtOnlineQuinella Quinella]] after she assimilated the Cardinal system that ran the Underworld. Cardinal carries out her duty to error-check Quinella by attempting to assassinate her, but is overwhelmed in battle by her child body, so retreats into the Great Library and severs its link to the Central Cathedral. Spending 200 years scouting for potential rebels to recruit, she notices Kirito and Eugeo, and sends her spider familiar, Charlotte to watch over them. After the boys get arrested, Cardinal helps them escape by opening a portal into the Great Library. Cardinal trains the boys in utilizing the "[[SuperMode Armament Full Control Art]]" ability within their swords, to prepare them for raiding Central Cathedral and fighting evenly against the Integrity Knights. When the boys and Alice face off against Quinella and her Sword Golem, Cardinal arrives to save them and heals their injuries. Upon discovering that she cannot fight the Sword Golem herself, Cardinal [[HeroicSacrifice offers her own life to Quinella to spare the kids]]. Before passing away, Cardinal helps Eugeo fuse with his sword to destroy the Sword Golem and weaken Quinella. Cardinal's purpose would be fulfilled after her death, where Kirito defeats Quinella.
** [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Iskahn]] is the Tenth Champion of the [[BareFistedMonk Pugilists]] and their leader, as well as a member of the Dark Territory's Council of Ten. Iskahn's GoalInLife was to find a WorthyOpponent, making him very enthusiastic of going to war with the Human Empire. He is angered by Scheta Synthesis Twelve butchering the Pugilists with non-lethal wounds, so challenges Scheta himself and finds the Integrity Knight to be his equal. [[GodEmperor Gabriel/Emperor Vecta]] orders him to supervise the pugilists crossing a fissure via ropes, with Iskahn himself forbidden to cross via the ropes, where Iskahn is devastated at witnessing his people fall to their deaths in vain. Overcoming the Seal of the Right Eye by tearing his eye out, Iskahn takes advantage of Vecta's ExactWords to pull a LoopholeAbuse by jumping over the fissure, then forming an alliance with the Human Empire against the invading Foreign Players, due to a lack of orders regarding both. At the conclusion of the War, Iskahn is left as one of the few surviving Lords, becoming the new Supreme Commander of the Dark Territory and forges a peace treaty with the Human Realm.

** [[BigGood Cardinal]] is the [[GodInHumanForm physical manifestation of the Cardinal sub-processor]] that managed to [[EnemyWithout split off from]] [[Characters/SwordArtOnlineQuinella Quinella]] after she assimilated the Cardinal system that ran the Underworld, carrying out her duty to error-check Quinella by attempting to assassinate her. Overwhelmed in battle by her child body, Cardinal retreats into the Great Library and severs its link to the Central Cathedral. Spending 200 years scouting for potential rebels to recruit, she notices Kirito and Eugeo, and sends her spider familiar, Charlotte to watch over them. After the boys get arrested, Cardinal helps them escape by opening a portal into the Great Library. Cardinal trains the boys in utilizing the "[[SuperMode Armament Full Control Art]]" ability within their swords, to prepare them for raiding Central Cathedral and fighting evenly against the Integrity Knights. When the boys and Alice face off against Quinella and her Sword Golem, Cardinal arrives to save them and heals their injuries. Upon discovering that she cannot fight the Sword Golem herself, Cardinal [[HeroicSacrifice offers her own life to Quinella to spare the kids]]. Before passing away, Cardinal helps Eugeo fuse with his sword to destroy the Sword Golem and weaken Quinella. Cardinal's purpose would be fulfilled after her death, where Kirito defeats Quinella.

** [[Characters/SwordArtOnlineAkihikoKayaba Akihiko Kayaba]] is a brilliant programmer desiring a fully-immersive VirtualReality simulation and creator of ''Sword Art Online'', the world's first VRMMORPG: trapping 10,000 players within and setting it so they die in real life if they do in the game while preventing authorities from stopping his game. Disguised as Heathcliff, a charming leader of a group of players within Aincrad, Kayaba reveals himself when hero [[Characters/SwordArtOnlineKazutoKirigaya Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya]] deduces his identity and duels the latter, releasing the players and seemingly killing himself when beaten but in reality sending his [[OurSoulsAreDifferent Fluctlight]] to continue existing on the internet. Reappearing out of disgust for the next season's ArcVillain, Kayaba assists Kirito in defeating the antagonist and entrusts Kirito with his final invention: made to allow others to create their own virtual reality games and have it shared with the world. Returning once more in the ''Alicization'' arc, Kayaba helps save the virtual reality world the heroes are within by taking control of a robot in the setting, proving himself Kirito's most honorable foe.

** With two of the ''Anime/IsekaiQuartet'' series ''Literature/KonoSuba'' and ''LightNovel/{{Overlord|2012}}'', due to the similar premises as well as being the most commonly cited series that haters champion as being superior. With ''[=KonoSuba=]'' it helps that it did not FollowTheLeader after SAO like most isekais did and completely deconstructed the cliches, along with the fact that ''[=KonoSuba=]'' has a memetically good reputation while SAO has a memetically bad reputation. While with ''Overlord'' the claims are that it took the same core concepts and ideas, such as an overpowered main character [[InsideAComputerSystem trapped in a video game]] but executed them correctly.

** "[[LightNovel/{{Oreimo}} Kirino]]" for Leafa, due to both sharing the same [[Creator/AyanaTaketatsu voice actress]], as well as being the main character's little sister (bonus points for being one letter away from ''Kirito'').

** After Episode 3 of ''Alicization'' aired, this makes it the third 2018 fall anime to feature goblins, joining the ranks of ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' and ''Literature/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime''.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byFkvbz2Za0 Swordland]]" is by far the most iconic theme from the series, but many detractors immediately point out the similarities to another theme previously composed by Music/YukiKajiura: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxZov8-DBHo Rule The Battlefield]]", from ''LightNovel/FateZero''. To be precise, the first few notes of the main riff are pretty much the same. This can be better heard with "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRFZu-IPhUs In You Past]]", one of the variations of "Swordland", which has a closer tempo and tone to "Rule the Battlefield", and thus the similarities become much more obvious. While this only applies to the first few notes and then both themes diverge from one another, a lot of people consider this more than enough to call "lazy" on Kajiura, and to consider the theme yet another reason to mock the anime.[[note]]To be fair, Kajiura has a bit of a reputation among her detractors of repeating herself too much in many of her other soundtracks too, both before and after her work on SAO.[[/note]]

** Quinella to Sugou. While all of the villains that came after him were more popular due to Sugou being [[TheScrappy reviled by the fandom]], special mention goes to Quinella who might very well be the most popular SAO villain to date. She's deemed a far more complex villain and a far bigger threat, while Sugou was extremely one-dimensional and pathetic. She also has a very large following due to her invoking EvilIsSexy.

* JerksAreWorseThanVillains: Many of the HateSink characters end up falling under this and end up more reviled than the proper villains (except Sugou, who earned his {{Hatedom}} and is much worse than the jerks mentioned below).

** [[BileFascination The series itself for a quite big portion of their detractors]], including some high-profile critics. These people find bashing the series to be genuinely fun in it on itself. Ditto Kirito himself. This is a big reason why the hate bandwagon is so long lasting, even during long periods of time without any new SAO anime material.

** Many Light Novel readers have complained about how [[spoiler: [=PoH=]'s backstory was altered in the anime, the main complaint being about how his time as a hitman for the Korean Mafia sent into SAO to kill a target was AdaptedOut, and that he instead stole a NerveGear and logged in when he was bored one day.]]

** Leafa/Suguha fights off her detractors after the ''Fairy Dance'' arc where her KissingCousins aspect gets dropped and she goes from love interest to LittleSisterHeroine. She has it even better in the gameverse where it overlaps with BetterThanCanon, as the romance plot is avoided altogether as she knows straight from the beginning that Kirito is her brother.

* MorePopularReplacement:
** Sinon serves as the ArcHero of the ''Phantom Bullet'' arc, where she takes over from Asuna as the female lead much like Leafa did. However unlike Leafa who ended up being a ReplacementScrappy, Sinon ended up being a welcome change and would go on to become a BreakoutCharacter. Fans praised her for her [[TheStoic compelling]] [[DeadpanSnarker personality]], her [[DarkAndTroubledPast much deeper backstory]], having a more realistic motivation for taking up gaming, as well as being the first female protagonist who is ''not'' defined by having an interest in Kirito. There's a large group who wish Sinon was the solo protagonist of the GGO arc without having to share the limelight with Kirito.
** Alice, who might just be the most positively received female lead yet. While she's loved for being a similarly strong heroine much like her predecessors, she avoids the flack that many of the past SAO girls get by not being dependent upon Kirito and prove to be formidable and badass completely on her own.

* AcceptableTargets:
** Perverts in general. In response to the fact that ThereAreNoGirlsOnTheInternet, many male players are depicted as flocking to and hitting on the few females there are, which is often presented as annoying and creepy. This is especially prevalent in GGO, which has a lower female playerbase than most, where many of them make a bunch of pervy comments towards female players and one is outright shown [[MaleGaze leering at Sinon's body while hitting on her]]. Even Klein, who's one of the main characters and whose perversion is PlayedForLaughs, often ends up as a ButtMonkey whose appreciation of women isn't exactly portrayed as a positive characteristic of his. It's even worse with full on rapists, who are, [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil for very good reasons]], often HateSink characters who end up dismembered messes by the end. [[spoiler:The only real exception is Kyouji, and that because he's more of a JerkassWoobie as opposed to the CompleteMonster that Sugou was.]]
** [=PKers=], or to simplify, players who spend most of their time in online games killing other players, are also not portrayed positively. In the first arc, any and all [=PKers=], some of which even starting a guild dedicated to it, are essentially {{Serial Killer}}s due to the death game nature of Sword Art Online, with many going on to become [[BigBad Big Bads]] in other arcs like [[spoiler:''Phantom Bullet'' and ''Alicization'']]. Even in later arcs where the games lack life-and-death stakes, [=PKers=] are typically shown to take being [[InternetJerk G.I.F.Ts]] to great extremes and are even portrayed as outright creeps, such as the Salamander Players led by Kagemune who are heavily implied to be "Women Hunters", players who take advantage of the combat system to avoid setting off the Anti-Harassment code to harass female players and [[{{Squick}} sometimes derive pleasure from killing them]].